Coiling machine



March 29, 1960 BREMER 2,930,539

COILING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7/ III"! 42INVENTOR. O/CK B/PE/Vf/P N ALM AT TORNEY March 29, 1960 D. BREMERCOILING MACHINE Filed A ri 1. 1%"! 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 29, 1960 D.BREMER comm; MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 1. 1957 A/ w a A 0 v 0J W, 4 a y a a 7 v/ Z d M M M U MW/#10 5 w 4m w I J .w nnflm-i 0% @W M Mmmmm m w EL.

. 2,930,539 COILING MACHINE Dick Bremer, Bloomfield, NJ., assignor toUnited States Rubber Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of NewJersey Application April 1, 1957, Serial No. 649,760

' 2 Claims. c1. 2424-54 This invention relates to an apparatus forcoiling lengths of a flexible elongated member, particularly a base inthe form of two flat spirals superimposed on each 61'.

spirals superimposed over each other from one length of hose.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates a side elevational view of the machine, with someparts being shown in sections, broken away, and in different positionsduring the coiling operation;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view with parts in section of the portionof the machine showing the hose guide;

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken on line AA of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing the hose clamping means;

Fig. 5 is a machine; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the machine illustrating the fluid andelectrical control systems.

The machine 10 (Fig. 1) embodying this invention is perspective view ofa hose Wound by the the bottom of the cone and proceeding to thesmallest at the top of the cone, telescoping the conical spiral C into aflat spiral L by moving the hose coils axially upwardly to the level ofthe smallest coil, and finally coiling the remainder of the hoseoutwardly as a second flat spiral U over the lower spiral L.

In general, the various components of the machine 10 comprise a frame onwhich are mounted a hose winding reel 21, a spider -18 for telescopingthe comically wound a guide 49 (Fig. 2) for directing the hose to thereel 21, a guard plate 45 for confining the hose to the reel 21 duringthe winding operation, electrical and hydraulic power means foractuating these components, and an electrical system for their effectivecontrol. The reel 21 is rotated by means of an electric motor 16 theother components, 18, 49 and 45, are operated by fluid cylinders 34, 47and 42 respectively. The motor hose portion,

16 and the fluid cylinders are in turn effectively controlled by theelectric system illustrated in Fig. 6.

The frame, Fig. 1, of the machine 10 comprises a base 11 of anydesirable shape to which is secured a cylindrical tubular upright 12 anda hollow, cylindrical housing 13. A main support shaft 14 is rotatablymounted by means of bearings 15 within housing 13.

Keyed to the top of the shaft 14 is a hose coiling reel 21. It isgenerally cone shaped and provided on its outer periphery with anupwardly and inwardly converging groove 22 having a plurality ofconvolutions into which the hose can be wound as a conical spiral C. Theapex of the cone is a projecting cylindrical portion 21a, Fig. 2, thatprovides a hub on which the hose can be wound outwardly as a flat spiralU. Also, as seen in Fig. 3, reel 21 is provided with a series of fourslots 23. The slots 23 penetrate the peripheral surface of the conicalportion of reel 21 and extend radially inwardly to a center circle whichhas a diameter equal to at least that of the smallest convolution ofspiral or groove 22 and extend axially from the base of the reel to thetopmost convolution and cylindrical portion 21a. A variable speed,electric motor 16 is mounted on one side of housing 13 and rotates shaft14, and therefore reel 21 by means of chain drive 17.

Beneath reel 21, slidably mounted on shaft 14 and rotatable therewith,is a spider 18 comprising a hollow, cylindrical sleeve or hub 19slidably keyed on shaft 14, and four arms 20 diverging outwardly andupwardly into slots 23 of reel 21. Secured to the ends of arms 20 are anequal number of horizontal plates 24 which fit within each of the slots23. Thus, it is readily apparent that as the spider 18 reciprocates onshaft 14, the plates 24 will move in slots 23 between the two positionsshown in Fig. 1, carrying and telescoping the hose wound as a conicalspiral C on the reel 21 into a flat spiral L.

At least one of plates 24 is provided with a slot 25 (Fig. 3) into whichhose clamping means 26 is removably positioned and in which an end ofthe hose can be secured to reel 21 so that it can be wound on the reel.Hose clamping means 26, Fig. 4, comprises a T-shaped plate 27 removablypositioned within slot 25 by means of a pair of pins 28. The end of thehorizontal arm 29 of plate 27 is bifurcated for pivotally mounting thelever 30. As will be apparent, the upper portion of vertical arms 31 ofplate 27 and upper portion of lever 30 form jaws in which an end of thehose is secured at the start of the coiling operation, which will bedescribed in detail below. The lower portions of lever 30 and verticalarm 31 are recessed for the reception of compression spring 32 whichresiliently urges the lever 30 into clamping position on the hose.

The means for reciprocating spider 18 will now be described withreference to Fig. 1. Pivotally mounted on a support 33 secured tohousing 13 and upright 12 is a fluid cylinder 34 having a piston rod 35,the end of which is bifurcated into a head 36. A lever 37, Fig. l, ispivotally mounted at a point between its ends in head 36 forreciprocation therewith by means of a pin 36A. An end of lever 37 ispivotally connected by pin 38 to upright 12 and its other end isbifurcated and secured by pin 40 which extends outwardly from thrustbearing container 19A into slots 39 provided in the bifurcated portionof lever 37. Within container 19A there is a thrust Patented Mar. 29,1960 while horizontal support pair of spaced, vertical rollers aosopssbearing 19B to take the load of spider 18 and to permit hub 19 to rotatewith shaft 14 relative to container 19A, which merely reciprocates onshaft 14 but does not rotate therewith. As lever 37 is actuated bycylinder 34, it reciprocates spider 18 relative to reel 21 by engagementof pin 40 in slots 39 of lever 37. A collar 14A secured to shaft 14serves to define the lowermost position of reel 21 and the uppermostposition of hub 19 on spider 18, whereas collar 14B fixed on shaft 14beneath the thrust bearing container 19A determines the lowermostposition of spider 18 by engagement with container 19A.

Rigidly mounted at the top of upright 12 there is a g 41 carrying afluid cylinder 42. At the free end of piston rod 43 of cylinder 42 is ahold down mount 44 which carries the hold down or guard plate 45. Plate45 with mount 44 is rotatable on piston rod 43 and movable toward andaway from reel 21. When moved to its lowermost position, the guard plate45 is in contact with the cylindrical portion 21a of reel 21, as shownby the broken lines in Fig. l, and rotates with the reel and thusprovides the reel 21 with a flange which prevents the hose from leavingthe reel 21.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the hose guide feeding device'49 fordirecting the hose to reel 21 comprises a 53, 54, positioned between twohorizontal rollers 56, 56, all of which are mounted on a base'plate orplatform 50. Roller 53 is fixed and mounted on a vertical bolt 57secured to plate 50. Roller 54 is held in yoke 58 which is resilientlyurged laterally toward roller 53 by means of springs 55 mounted onhorizontal rods 59, 59 between the vertical member 60 of yoke 58 andupright 61 rigidly secured to platform 50 and through which thehorizontal rods 59, 59 move in holes 62, 62. The hose H, that is to bewound on reel 21, passes between rollers 53 and 54 which clamp the hosesufficiently to keep the hose coils taut on reel 21, but not so tight asto pull the hose out of clamp 26.

The platform 50 of hose guide 49 is rigidly secured to the top of pistonrod 48 of a fluid cylinder 47 mounted in substantially a verticalposition on a horizontal support 46 extending from upright 12. A pistonrod 51 of an adjustable fluid resistance unit 65 mounted on cylinder 47also is secured to platform 50. Resistance unit 65 is of a conventionaltype and resists in one direction only, e.g., the Bellows Hydro-Check.Thus, as piston rod 48 tends to move upward carrying hose guide 49 withit, the resistance unit 65 restrains or slows it down so that the hoseguide 49 rises only as fast as the hose H is wound up the conicalportion of reel 21.

The fluid system by which fluid power is supplied for actuating spider18, hose guide 49 and guard plate 45 is illustrated in Fig. 6. Fluid,water or air, under pressure is supplied from main line 70 through aconventional shut-01f valve 71 to trunk pipe lines 72, 73 and 74. Fromline 72 the fluid passes through a 4-way valve 75 which is solenoidactuated and spring reversed. It is a conventional Barksdale type 4-wayvalve in which energizing the solenoid opens one set of ports anddeenergizing the solenoid reverses the valve whereby the ports areclosed and another set opened. The fluid passes from valve 75 intocylinder 42 by either lines 76 or 78. When the solenoid of valve 75 isenergized the fluid passes from valve 75 through line 76 into the top ofcylinder 42, whereas the fluid already in cylinder 42, that is under thecylinder piston, leaves through line 78 and out line 79, and guard plate45 is thus lowered. When the solenoid is de-energizcd, the valve 75 isreversed and fluid from line 72 enters the lower end of cylinder 42, thefluid in the top of cylinder 42 exits through line 76 and out line 79,and guard plate 45 is thus raised. The arrangement is such that there isfluid in cylinder 42 (as is the case also in cylinders 47 and 34) at alltimes, on either the top or bottom of the piston in cylinder 42, and asfluid enters one end of the cylinder, either the top or the bottom, thefluid already in the cylinder, at the opposite end of the cylinder,exits.

Hose guide cylinder 47 similarly actuates hose guide 49. Fluid in line73 passes through a 4-way solenoid control valve 80 of the same type asvalve 75 into the lower part of cylinder 47 to raise the hose guideagainst the resistance of unit 65. The fluid in the upper part of thecylinder 47 exits through line 82, valve 80 and trunk line 83. When thesolenoid is de-energized, valve 80 is reversed and the direction of thehose guide 49 is likewise reversed, since fluid from line 73 is then fedthrough line 82 to the top of cylinder 47 and the fluid at the bottom ofthe cylinder 47 is exhausted through line 81 and trunk line 83.

Fluid from line 74 is supplied to cylinder 34 for actuating spider 18.It passes through a similar to valves 75 and 80, except that valve 86has a double solenoid and is actuated by energizing one of the solenoidsand reversed by de-energizing that solenoid and energizing the othersolenoid. The valve does not reverse when a solenoid is de-energizedonly as in the case of valves 75 and 80, and the solenoids, therefore,need not remain energized to hold the valve in a desired position. Fluidfrom valve 86 passes through line 87 to the top of cylinder 34, whereasfluid already in cylinder 34 exits through line 88, valve 86 and line89, and causes spider 18 to lower on reel 21. When the valve 86 isreversed, fluid from line 74 passes through line 88 into the bottom ofcylinder 34, whereas the fluid in the top of the cylinder exits throughline 87, valve 86 and line 89, and spider 18 is raised.

The electrical system controlling the machine 10 is also shown in Fig.6. In this system, 220 volts A.C. is supplied by lines 110, 111 having amain power cut-oif switch S-l. Part of the energy is utilized at thisvoltage in motor 16 and part transformed to volts by transformer 100 foroperating the solenoids of valves 75, 80, 86 and switch S-2 of motor 16.The primary coil 101 of transformer 100 is connected across lines 110,111 from which lines 112, 113 are connected to motor 16 through solenoidactuated switch S-2. The secondary coil 102 is connected across lines114 and 115 to which the lines numbered 116 through 128 are connected tocomplete the various circuits to the solenoids of the valves 75, 80, 86and switch S-2.

Line 116 connects line 114 which motor M of timer T and push buttonswitch S-3 in line 122 to line 115 to form a first circuit for runningtimer T. Another circuit between lines 114, 115 is formed by line 116through motor M and switch S-4 and line 123. The first circuit throughpush button S-3 is provided to start the timer T, and since the switchis normally open, it must be held down sufliciently long to permit timermotor M to turn shaft 129 with cam 130 to allow switch S-4 to close andcomplete the circuit through line 123. The timer T will then run untilcam 130 has turned sufficiently to open switch S-4.

Line 117 forms a circuit from line 114 through solenoid 77 and switchS-S in timer T to line 123. On starting of the timer T, switch S-5 isclosed and solenoid 77 energized, whereby valve 75 is actuated until cam131 in timer T opens switch S-S.

Lines 118, 119 form similar circuits from line 114 through solenoids 85,90 of valves 80, 86 through switches S-6, S-7 in timer T to line 123 andline 115. Line 120, on the other hand, forms a circuit from line 114through solenoid 91 of valve 86 through the normally open push buttonswitch S-9 instead of timer T. Energizing solenoid 91 actuates valve 86and permits fluid to enter the top of cylinder 34 and retract spider 18to its lowermost position on reel 21. This operation of the spider 18 isindependent and outside of the timer T to permit time for removal of thecoiled hose from the reel 21 or to hold it there if desired.

Line 121 forms a circuit from line 114, through sole- 4-way valve 86 lnoid 95 of switch S-2, switch 8-8 in timer T, and line 123 to line 115.Energizing solenoid 95 closes switch S-2 and completes the 220 voltcircuit from lines 112, 113 to motor 16.

Each of the switches 8-4, 8-5, 8-6, 8-7, and 8-8 in timer T are closedand opened by timer T. All close simultaneously at the beginning of thecycle and remain closed throughout the cycle except switch 8-7. The cam133 in timer T operating switch 8-7 is set to temporarily close theswitch at the time the winding of the hose H into the conical spiral Con reel 21 is about finished; it then closes temporarily and solenoid 90is energized whereby valve 86 is actuated and spider 18 caused to riseinstantly. Switch S-7 need not be closed throughout the cycle sincevalve 86 can be reversed only by actuating solenoid 91 which requiresmanually depressing push button 8-9.

In the operation of the machine, normally at the end of an operatingcycle the guide plate 45 is in a position clear of reel 21, as shown bysolid lines in Fig. 1, spider 18 is at the top of reel 21 as shown bythe dotted lines in Fig. l and hose guide 49 is at its lowermostposition as shown in Fig. 2. The operator closes switch S-l, therebyenergizing transformer 100 and providing power in the lines numbered 112through 115. Switch 8-9 is then held depressed to complete the circuitto solenoid 91 of valve 86, whereby fluid enters the top of cylinder 34and spider 18 is lowered to the position shown by the full lines inFig. 1. The operator then inserts and clamps an end of the hose H, whichis to be coiled, between lever 30 and arm 31 of clamping device 26 (Fig.4). As seen in Fig. 3, the hose is then in position adjacent thelowermost or largest convolution of groove 22. At this point, theoperator starts timer T by depressing switch 8-3. The coiling cyclebegins with the timer closing switches 8-4, 8-5, 8-6 and S8. The closingof switch S-4 completes the circuit through timer motor M and line 123to keep the timer running throughout the period of the cycle. Theclosing of switch 8-8 in timer T energizes solenoid 95 and completes thecircuit through lines 123 and 121 to line 114. This closes switch 8-2 inline 113 completing the circuit between lines 112 and 113 through motor16 and causes the motor to rotate shaft 14 with reel 21, whereupon hoseH is progressively coiled upwardly and inwardly filling the groove 22.Closing of switch S6 by the timer T energizes the solenoid 85 whichactuates valve 80 causing fluid pressure to enter into the bottom ofcylinder 47 and raise hose guide 49 against the restraint of resistanceunit 65 in timed relation with the winding of the hose H on reel 21. Theswitch S-S, likewise closed with the starting of the timer T, completesthe circuit energizing solenoid 77 and actuates valve 75 to admit fluidpressure to the top side of cylinder 42. This causes the guard plate 45to move downwardly until it is in contact with reel 21. Guard plate 45comes in contact with reel 21 before the hose H has been com pletelywound in the groove 22. About the time a portion of the hose H is woundin the top convolution of groove 22, the cam 133 in timer T has turnedsufliciently to close switch S-7 thereby energizing solenoid 90 whichactuates valve 86 admitting pressure to the bottom of cylinder 34whereby spider 18 rises instantly. Rising of spider 18 displaces thehose wound in the groove 22 and collapses or telescopes the conicalspiral C of hose into a flat spiral L which it supports at the base ofthe cylindrical projection 21a. The reel 21, in the meantime, continuesto turn and wind the remainder of the hose on the cylindrical projection21a under the guard plate 45 as the second spiral U.

After a certain period of time measured from the actuation of switch8-3, the coiling machine is stopped by the timer T opening the switcheswithin it. Reel 21 stops turning since switch 8-2 is opened; guard plate45 moves away from reel 21, since the solenoid 77 is deenergized and thevalve 75 is reversed whereby pressure is admitted by line 78 to thebottom of cylinder 42. Guide 49 slowly descends or returns to itsoriginal position since valve 80 is reversed through the de-energizingof solenoid and admits fluid to the top of cylinder 47. Spider 18,however, remains in its upward position shown by the dotted lines inFig. 1 until switch 8-9 is again manually closed, which the operatordoes after removing the coiled hose from the machine to repeat thecycle.

In order to permit removal of the hose from the machine, a tray 139,Fig. 5, comprising a ring 140, of larger diameter than the base of reel21, and a number of horizontal plates 141 secured on vertical rods 142attached to ring 140, is generally positioned on spider 18 as shown inFig. 1. The plates 141 are similar to plates 24 of spider 18 and includeone that has a slot 143 to admit the clamping means 26. The tray 139supports the hose H so that lifting it from spider 18 removes the hosefrom the machine 10. The tray also holds the hose H in a raised positionwhen set on some base, thereby readily permitting taping with tapes 144to prevent uncoiling of the hose.

It will now be apparent, that the machine comprising the inventionrepresents an entirely new concept in the coiling of elongated memberssuch as hose, wherein the use of human labor is greatly reduced and madeunnecessary at various stages of the automatic operation.

While this invention has been shown and described in a certain preferredform, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications maybe made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from theprinciples of the invention, the scope of which is to be determined bythe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, desire to protect by Letters Patentsis:

1. In a machine for coiling an elongated flexible member, rotatablemeans for winding said member in both a conical spiral and a fiatspiral, means movable relative to said winding means for telescopingsaid conical spiral into a first fiat spiral on said winding means,normally deactuated means operatively connected to said telescopingmeans and responsive to operation of said winding means forautomatically actuating said telescoping means during rotation of saidwinding means and upon completion of the formation of said conicalspiral, means movable toward and away from said winding means forconfining said member on said winding means during winding of a secondflat spiral and for permitting removal of said member after winding ofsaid second flat spiral, respectively, and means operatively connectedto said confining means and responsive to operation of said windingmeans for automatically displacing said confining means toward saidwinding means during rotation of the latter and the formation of saidconical and second fiat spirals and for automatically displacing saidconfining means away from said winding means upon completion of theformation of said second fiat spiral.

2. In a machine for coiling an elongated flexible member intosuperimposed flat coils, power operated rotatable means for winding saidmember in both a conical spiral and a flat spiral, means movablerelative to said winding means for telescoping said conical spiral intoa first fiat spiral on said winding means, normally deactuated meansoperatively connected to said telescoping means and responsive tooperation of said winding means for autosaid telescoping means duringrotawhat I claim and pletion of the formation of said conical spiral,means movable relatively toward and away from said winding means forconfining said member on said winding means a second fiat spiral and forpermitting removal of said member after winding of said second flatspiral, respectively, means operatively connected to said confiningmeans and responsive to operation of said winding means forautomatically displacing said confining means toward said winding meansduring rotation there,- of and the formaton of said conical and secondfiat spirals and for automatically displacing said confining means awayfrom said winding means upon completion of the formation of said secondfiat spiral, and electrical control means interconnecting both theaforesaid responsive means for actuation thereof in proper sequence andtimed relation.

References Cited in the file oi this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

